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Adjustable Unisex Apron

I wear aprons all the time, and I’m not kidding when I say “all the time”. My typical at-home outfit involves a bandana to keep my hair back and an apron to keep at bay all of the thread and fabric fuzz that follow me everywhere. When friends stop by unexpectedly they are always surprised by my house frau attire, but nobody wants a lint brush for a best friend!

As you might imagine, I have a good collection of aprons, many of them vintage and quite feminine. Some of my favorites include a pink one from the 50s made out of a feedsack and one with ruffles and a pie shaped pocket that my sister made for me. Even though I love them all, these fanciful aprons don’t come in very handy when it’s time to roll up my sleeves and get messy in the kitchen, nor does my husband really appreciate his options. So I decided to make a rugged, adjustable unisex apron for both of us to use in the kitchen. It’s big enough to be worn by a 6 foot tall guy but can easily be folded up to fit a 5 foot 4 gal like myself. Plus the no-nonsense styling means neither of us will risk batter-splattered ruffles!

The Adjustable Unisex Apron is an update of a pattern I designed way back in 2008 called the BBQ Apron. Although this version is perfect for Labor Day grilling, its classic design and super simple construction make it useful well beyond the BBQ pit. I used some amazing new fabric, Kokka Canvas Ticking, which seems like it was born to be an apron. It’s both soft and strong and will wear and wash beautifully. I love its classic denimy feel and its subtle colors. Best of all this apron is beyond simple to make. It’s so easy that I think I might make two so my husband and I don’t have to share!

(P.S. The beautiful wooden spoons in the pictures above can be found at Timber from Live Wire Farm right here.)

Update: February 2012

In February 2012 we made a a new version of this fantastic apron! For more images of the new version plus the pattern for the matching dishtowels, click here.

Materials

For the Original Adjustable Apron

1 1/4-yard Kokka Canvas Ticking in Navy Thick for the body of the apron. (This particular fabric is no longer available, but please check out all of our current upholstery weight fabrics for some great alternatives!)

1/2-yard of Kokka Canvas Ticking in Navy Thin for the pocket. (This particular fabric is no longer available, but please check out all of our current upholstery weight fabrics for some great alternatives!)

For the new Adjustable Apron

Pattern

Marking and Cutting

Press the main body fabric in half lengthwise, selvedge to selvedge. Trim the top of the fabric so it makes a clean 90 degree angle with fold.

Using tailors chalk or an erasable fabric marker make a 1-inch vertical mark at the top of the fabric, 6 1/2-inches from the fold. This is mark A and is shown in red in the picture above.

Place a pin along the fold, 17-inches from the top of the fabric. This is mark B.

Make a mark using the chalk 13-inches from the fold and directly perpendicular to mark B. This is mark C.

Make a mark on the fold 20-inches below mark B. This is mark D.

Make a mark 20-inches vertically below mark C. This is mark E.

Using the chalk connect these marked lines together with straight lines as shown in red above, going from the bottom of mark A diagonally to mark C, then down to mark E and over to mark D.

Cut the apron out following along these lines. Here is a picture of it cut out but still folded down the middle.

Cut a 17-inch by 10-inch rectangle, with the stripes running horizontally for the pocket.

Sewing the Apron

Unfold the main apron piece.

Using the darker thread hem the top and straight sides by folding them over 1/2-inch twice towards the wrong side and edge stitching the folds down.

Hem the bottom in the same manner.

Zig zag stitch along the diagonal sides.

Press the diagonal sides down 1/4-inch to the wrong side and edge stitch them down.

Press the diagonal sides down 1-inch to the wrong side and edge stitch them down. This will form a scant 1-inch channel along the diagonal sides that the cotton webbing will be threaded through later.

Attaching the Pocket

Hem the top of the pocket by pressing it down 1/2-inch twice towards the wrong side and edge stitching the fold down.

Zig zag stitch along the three other sides.

Press the right and left sides towards 1/2-inch towards the wrong side and then press the bottom edge up 1/2-inch towards the wrong side as well.

Tuck the extra fabric of the corners inside of the pressed folds forming little miters as shown above.

Press the pocket flat.

Pin the bottom, left, and right sides of the pocket to the main apron panel, 2 1/2-inches below where the diagonal sides start and 4 1/4-inches from either side. Make sure it’s straight and centered.

Edge stitch the pocket on around the left, right, and bottom sides.

Using a Hera Marker or erasable fabric marker mark vertically along the pocket 3 1/2-inches from the left side and then 3 1/2-inches to the left of that mark.

Sew along these marks to form two pocket divisions for cooking tools.

Adding the Tie

Cut the cotton webbing to be 97-inches long.

Press the ends 1/2-inch to the wrong side twice.

Using the off white thread edge stitch these folds down.

Using a knitting needle or another long sharp opject pull one end of the webbing through the bottom left diagonal channel with the wrong side of the apron facing up.

When you reach the top of the apron turn pull the webbing out at the top and turn the apron to the right side. Being careful not to twist it thread the webbing into the opposite diagonal channel from the top, pulling it all the way through to the bottom of the channel.

65 Responses to Adjustable Unisex Apron

Thanks for such a great pattern. I am making it right now for my husband's birthday. He doesn't like to share aprons, either. I am wondering the purpose of the zigzag stitch? Is it to prevent the material from raveling? Thanks, again, for a simple, practical idea that even I can make!

Thanks so much for sharing! This apron is so simple yet awesome. I have some amazing hand dyed fabric my mother got in china and it's so special i wanted to make something as useful, humble and cool as an apron. Your easy pattern is perfect. Simple and sweet and perfect!Thanks!

Great pattern! Making two of these for sister and brother in-laws for Christmas gifts. One suggestion, instead of folding fabric in half,fold one side 14 inches leaves a larger price of fabric to make matching dish towels, pot holders or tote bags.Thanks

I have to thank you for this tutorial. I was able to use it to make kid size aprons for the little boys in my life who want to help cook but can never find aprons their size that are not girly. If you like to see them I shared them on my blog. I'm very new to blogging and did my best to point my readers here to you.

I just finished 2 of these for Father's Day gifts and LOVE the pattern! Your tutorial is so easy to follow and the end result is a beautifully constructed apron. Thank you for sharing! I'm sure I will use it again!

Lovely Apron – I am inspired to go make one, or two, or five……I have a suggestion for threading the tape thru the channels – use a large safety pin attached to the tape manouvering the pin to pull the tape thru. I do this all the time with elastic in leotard leglines. Works a treat and you don't lose the elastic as you work.

Thanks for this pattern – First thing I've ever properly sewn and I'm mega proud. The blog and patterns are pretty & inspiring and I have had some great ideas – including a fruit felt mobile for a newborn baby (thanks for the Apple Coasters, cant wait to make it!).Look on my tumblr for the apron I made :). http://www.thechinacow.tumblr.com

It sounds like you just need to sew the channel that holds the ribbon smaller. So instead of folding the diagonal sides down 1-inch, try folding them 3/4-inch. If you want to fix an apron that you've already sewn 1/4-inch in from the existing seams.

Thank you for this tutorial. I used it to make a Christmas present for my children to give to their father's girlfriend (yes….I know…). I used a photo of them printed onto fabric as the pocket – and she loved it. So now I have linked to you on my blog!

Love this Apron Idea! I'm going to make this. I have been sewing for 40 yrs since I was 18. Very clever idea the way you put the webbing tie to serve two purposes & like the pocket for tools & maybe cell phone! Thanks Jean Hayes – Dunn, NC

Just made 3 for Christmas presents…your instructions are so clear! Do you have the measurements for a child's apron…3 year old. Would love to make one to go with her Mom's! Maybe I will make one for her dolly as well! Thanks.

I have a question. When I open this pattern from the list of patterns, the majority of the pictures only open half way. The bottom half of the photo is green. Is this a problem with my computer or is it a problem with the images posted here?Please help. I would like to make this pattern for a gift.Thank you.

Hi, I am so anxious to try this! I'm a new sewer so that may be the reason for my question… do you not sew the strap in place? Doesn't it move, or is that the purpose so it's adjustable? Love this idea and your fabric choice! Thanks!!

Your instructions are very clear! Great job! I just made two for a couple getting married next weekend. I embroidered their names at the top and put their university's mascot on the pocket! Sweet gift and no cost…. I had everything I needed in my "stash". They look so cute! Thanks for the simple pattern!

Hi Judith, I just made this apron and discovered if someone picked it up by the neck-strap, the entire strap would come out. I was attempting to find a solution to this problem while retaining the adjust ability of the apron. Thanks so much for the suggestion of just anchoring one side.

I love this apron and was hoping to make it for my dad for Christmas. He is 6’8″ and I was wondering if you might have some size adjustment suggestions? I was just going to add a few inches to each dimension? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

The larger size may be a bit small for a 12 year old, but please check out the finished measurements to make sure. If you would like to make it a bit bigger I would add 2 inches to the width and length of the original cut piece and then just follow the directions for the big kid size.

Please let us know if you have any more questions. This sounds like a lovely project!

I am so excited, I have been looking for a pattern like this forever. I have a special piece of cloth that I want to make this with. Here is my question. I am a beginner so bear with me. I am a big girl, How do I measure this so it fits me?

I am confident that this will fit you! It fits me (I’m short and small) as well as my 6 foot tall husband (and it could easily fit someone taller). If you still have doubts the finished measurements are: 24-inches wide and 35-inches long. If that doesn’t seem tall and/or wide enough just add the extra inches you think you’ll need to the initial cutting. If you need help with the math just let me know!

Thank you for this pattern! It was very straight forward. I did notice something though. I’m only 5’1 and when I put it on, the tie in back tied around my butt, even though the top was as high as I could get it. I’m thinking that the 17″ mark might be too long of a distance between the top of the apron and where the tie comes out for the back. Unless I did it incorrectly, I’m thinking I just have a short torso! Going to try 13″ instead, so it ties around my waist.

Thanks for the pattern – it looks very simple to make. I am going to use the same material for the ties as well as the body – I would like to make one for my mother for mothers day and need your advice. I have measured one of my mother’s aprons to get some idea of the size as she is very petit. I have measured 30 inches long and 23.5 inches wide, so you can see that she is very short. I’m not sure how far down to measure at B – would it be the same or a bit shorter?

Thanks for the memories! This is an old pattern that I used way back in the 60’s as a new mom. Got it from my sister-in-law and she had used hers for a few years so it is pretty old pattern. Still works good
today too!

I’m so glad to hear that you like this pattern. I haven’t seen the older patterns for aprons like this that you mention. I actually got the idea to make an adjustable tie from an old apron from India that I unearthed at my parents house! But it is a timeless idea and I’m so glad to hear that your aprons are still in use today!

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